Musings on 3/8/16: Trump's Curious Pattern of Admiring Evil People

Marrying his charisma and authoritarian style to his nationalistic, populist politicking makes for a surprisingly easy comparison of GOP front runner Donald Trump to Germany's fetid former fuhrer, Adolph Hitler. Indeed, Trump kept a copy of Hitler's book My New Order-a compendium of his speeches-at his bedside. (A Henry Ford reprise?) His recent practice of having audiences swear to vote for him is tantamount to the compulsory oaths during the Third Reich.

The Donald also recently tweeted this Mussolini quotation. 

“It is better to live one day as a lion than 100 years as a sheep.”

Before that, he seemed genuinely flattered that Russian President Vladimir Putin knows who he is.

This stands in comedic contrast to his daylong denial, last week, of knowing who former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard David Duke is. (He walked this back within 24 hours. Apparently, something exists that doesn't meet the Trump truth threshold.)

Hitler, Mussolini, and Putin are all examples of heads of state whose malignant intentions manifested in indisputably inhuman and immoral acts. So why would Trump be reading, tweeting and flushing about such people? The answer is his admiration of the type of power they exercised. Simply, it was raw. The SS, Blackshirts, and KGB wielded calculated, unpredictable, terrifying and complete power. It is this sort of power, unbridled and naked, that is surely the theme of Trump's sweetest fantasies. It is this sort of power that (in its non-violent form) has always been Trump's central pursuit. 

It is this sort of power that makes Trump admire evil people.

To be, or not to be: Part IV--The Composite

The composite Trumpster is a man or woman over the age of 45, with a high school degree or less and, to lesser extent, having some college, an associates degree or a bachelor's degree. Most supporters are Independents and some are Republicans. In terms of ideology, they describe themselves as moderates, somewhat conservative and, at times, conservative. Trumpsters tend to be first time voters, or caucus goers, and like The Donald for three reasons. They view him as a political outsider who tells it like it is, and as the candidate most likely to bring change. What supporters want changed is primarily the immigration system, followed closely by the economy and terrorism risk. Trumpsters are angry at the government.

Now we can return to the question of the nature of the dynamic-between Trump and his minions-that results in their acceptance of his perpetually pestilential presentation. The simple answer is that they are being manipulated by a charismatic candidate who connects with voters by being one-of-the-guys, and by waving the Flag.

MUSSOLINI and HITLER (r)

Putting aside the topic of the incalculable risk inherent in being governed by someone who politics with a mixture of charisma, populism and nationalism (consider Adolph Hitler, as an extreme example), this answer needs significant elaboration to be complete.

So, let's look at how Trump's narcissism and an angry electorate interact...